Lorraine Gross Memorial Scholarship

Lorraine Gross
(1935-1998)

Dr. Lorraine Gross joined UW-Whitewater in 1968 as an assistant professor of theatre.  Her strong commitment to the performing arts was evident in her enthusiasm as she taught several theatre courses and designed costumes for the University Theatre productions.  In 1971, she was appointed the Associate Dean for the College of Arts and later became the Director of Young Auditorium.

While at UW-Whitewater, Dr. Gross founded the Cultural Affairs Committee, a group composed of students, faculty, and community members who embraced the challenge of implementing a performing art series under the umbrella of the College of Arts.  She also created CAPS, otherwise known as “Cultural Affairs in Public Schools,” as a way to involve children in the arts and develop future audience members.   CAPS has grown into the Horizons program which annually presents 31 performances and serves over 33,000 k-12 students. 

While Dr. Gross’ contributions to the university are countless, her greatest and most notable contribution was the fundraising, planning, and the completion of the Irving L. Young Auditorium.  She was an active member of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP), and was instrumental in forming the statewide Wisconsin Presenters Network.

Dr. Gross’ commitment to the performing arts, boundless creative thinking, and her ever-present leadership has left a lasting impact on the people of southern Wisconsin.   The Lorraine Gross Scholarship supports the professional development of undergraduate students involved with arts management and the Young Auditorium who wish to attend conferences in the field.